MCASD GOES GANGNAM STYLE FOR FREEDOM

Thought you saw MCASD staff and board members “riding the pony” on YouTube? You weren’t dreaming. You probably just caught the tail end of Anish Kapoor’s Gangnam Style parody video released last December.

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei created his own parody of Korean pop music sensation Psy’s viral Gangnam Style music video as a comment on the lack of freedom in China. It was banned shortly after its release. In response, internationally acclaimed artist Anish Kapoor organized a massive Gangnam Style video in support of the artist. “Gangnam for Freedom by Anish Kapoor and Friends” received widespread support by human rights organizations, museums, and well-known artists such as Mark Wallinger and Bob and Roberta Smith. MCASD was invited by Kapoor to submit a video, which was ultimately incorporated into the final cut and available to view on YouTube.

The Museum has a long history of supporting Ai Weiwei and his work. In 2011, MCASD’s International Collectors group visited the artist in his studio in Shanghai just months before he was arrested. When the authorities refused to release Ai Weiwei, MCASD staged a 24-hour silent sit-in to protest his detainment. Ai Weiwei’s fight to remain an uncensored voice for the people of China is an effort MCASD proudly supports.